The economics of weight loss, with Rebecca Diamond and Claer Barrett

The gendered obesity gap in the Western world, where lower-income women face significantly higher obesity rates than their wealthier counterparts, is being reshaped by the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Harvard economist Rebecca Diamond’s research reveals that women using these medications experience a 29-percentage-point increase in employment and partnership rates within two years, suggesting that weight loss may help overcome labor market discrimination. While these results offer a hopeful outlook for economic mobility, the high cost of treatment threatens to exacerbate existing inequalities if access remains limited to the wealthy. Furthermore, while the drugs provide clear health and career benefits, they also introduce significant financial burdens and potential side effects, complicating the case for public health subsidies. Ultimately, the shift toward widespread GLP-1 use challenges traditional assumptions about the relationship between socioeconomic status, physical appearance, and professional opportunity.